“We feel a close connection to Loveland,” says Dr. Dave Williams of 2020 EyeCare. “And we want to weave our practice into the fabric of the community.”
“After all,” he adds, “we live here, we hang out here, and we plan on practicing here for a long time—with both of us being in our mid-30s, that should be a while!”
Dr. Williams opened the practice with Dr. Alex Gibberman just two years ago, and when it comes to community, they’re focused on its youngest occupants—they specialize in treatment of myopic progression (nearsightedness) in children.
One new treatment option, they explain, is a compounded prescription eye drop. “It helps slow the eye from elongating, which in turn keeps nearsightedness from getting worse. It’s a great option for kids who are too young for contact lenses.”
Another treatment option is a daily disposable soft contact lens, which works on the principle of peripheral defocusing. “This means the contacts are designed with concentric rings or circles consisting of zones that both correct the central vision and mildly blur the peripheral vision at the same time,” the doctors explain. This helps keep the eye from growing in length, and permanently reduces nearsightedness for patients.
There’s more choices for kids. “Orthokeratology is a hard contact lens, only worn while sleeping at night. The technology has been around for quite some time, and it’s a great option for kids who don’t want to wear contacts during the day.” These hard contact lenses flatten the center of the cornea to reduce mild to moderate nearsightedness.
Of course, it’s important to be mindful of practices that promote vision and eye health before symptoms even occur. The doctors point out research that suggests during childhood, reducing screen time and increasing time spent outdoors can play an integral role in reducing myopic progression.
For the doctors themselves, it’s been a curious couple of years since opening. When 2020 EyeCare welcomed its first clients, COVID was in full effect—not an ideal moment to treat new patients.
“We’ve both lived in Loveland for about six years,” Dr. Gibberman explains. “We’d been friends for years and always envisioned opening a practice together.” Despite the pandemic, they quickly established a reputation for state-of-the-art tools and techniques.
But it was community that pulled through and welcomed the new practice. “Loveland,” Dr. Gibberman says, “has been extremely supportive.”
And in return? 2020 EyeCare gladly gives back by sponsoring the Loveland football and basketball teams, competing in local fundraisers such as NEST’s Dancing with the Stars, and participating in local health fairs. For Drs. Williams and Gibberman, it’s their way of investing in a community that’s welcomed them with open arms.
Time For Glasses, Kids
Parents can keep an eye out for a number of behaviors that might suggest glasses are around the corner. A few things to watch for …
- One or both eyes drifting inward
- Squinting
- A need to move closer to look at objects
- Rubbing the eyes
- Covering one eye while reading
- Sudden difficulty at school
And adults? “As a rule of thumb for every 20 minutes of ‘near’ or computer work, give your eyes a break and take 20 seconds to look at something 20 feet away.” Additionally, the doctors suggest people with dry eyes might want to keep artificial tears by their computer for occasional use—always check with your doctor to be sure you’re using the right kind of product.
2020EyeCareOH.com | 9553 Fields Ertel Rd | 513.428.2020